[Becky]

First, the study is vague but I will make the following ASSUMPTION that these women had lumpectomy with radiation or masectomy only because tumors less than 1cm (in the past) usually didn't receive chemotherapy.

That said, chemo alone reduces the recurrence rate - I am not sure by how much but when the standard was 4AC followed by 4 taxol every 3 weeks and the study on dense dose (every 2 weeks instead) - that alone reduced recurrence rates by 38%.

So, if we want to be conservative, let's say chemo (regardless of the kind you had), reduces recurrence by 25% (I think its more and we won't take dense dosing into account). Then chemo reduces 23% to 17%. Now add Herceptin which reduces recurrence by half - now you are at 8.6%. That's pretty good and that doesn't take into account that depending on hormone status, exercise can reduce recurrence risk by 20% (hormone positive) to 44% (for hormone negative) so let's use 20% to be conservative and that's less than 7%. A good Meditterean diet and a couple of cups of green tea and you're good to go!

Keep the faith. Keep your face to the sunshine. Smile as much as you can. Be nice to everyone you meet.